A federal funding top-up for Wesley Mission to help families struggling in Sydney’s worst-affected COVID-19 hotspots is running out, the organisation says, as lockdown drags into a 10th week.
Wesley Mission chief executive Rev Stu Cameron says more calls are coming in from people in western and southwest Sydney experiencing food insecurity, financial difficulties and increased levels of distress.
“Everyday we’re hearing from parents who are going without food so their kids can eat,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“As lockdown drags on and savings run out, more people are experiencing crisis.
“We can’t let families go hungry.”
Almost 20 per cent of the mission’s programs are delivered directly to western and southwest Sydney.
Last year that included support for more than 30,000 people.
At the beginning of lockdown the mission received additional requests for help, mainly from existing vulnerable clients.
“But in the last month, we’re increasingly hearing from people who have never needed any charitable support before,” Mr Cameron said.
In July the federal government announced an additional $8.9 million for emergency and food relief to go to Commonwealth-declared hotspots in NSW and Victoria.
“It won’t be long now until the $220,000 in top-up funds we received runs out,” Mr Cameron said.
Since lockdown began, 20 per cent more requests for relief had been processed than in the same period last year and Wesley’s financial counsellors processed 76 per cent more Energy Accounts Payment Assistance vouchers for people in short-term crisis.
AAP
Read more:
